For every primary election, 12th Ward Chairwoman Rev. Jacqueline Fielder holds a candidates forum for the residents in her district. At these forums, constituents receive information on what their elected officials have done and what prospective officials would do differently.

Unfortunately most ward chairmen on the Allegheny County Democratic Committee are not like Fielder. Their contact with those they represent can range from occasional meetings or informational flyers to nothing at all.

JACQUELINE FIELDER

“Per our bylaws, our job is to get out the vote. Our people need to be engaged and educated in this electoral process. I think we should accommodate the needs of the community,” Fielder said. “I think by doing a lot of events it puts pressure on the title holders. Sometimes we go door to door. I think we go over and beyond the bylaws of what’s required of us.”

In the primary election May 18, citizens will have the chance to run for committee seats on the ACDC as all members are up for re-election.

Pittsburgh School Board Director Mark Brentley Sr. has long said the city’s North Side residents are perennially ignored by their city council and state House representatives because both offices are located in the Hill District. So, once again, he is trying to change that by challenging incumbent state Rep. Jake Wheatley for the District 19 seat in the Democratic primary May 18.

MARK BRENTLEY

Brentley is also, again, running against former city councilwoman and Democrat-endorsed Tonya Payne, whom he challenged last year for the city council seat she eventually lost to Daniel Lavelle.

Brentley is trying to bank on anti-insider sentiment noting both Payne and Wheatley are former aides to longtime Hill councilman Sala Udin, even though Payne ousted Udin from his council seat in 2005.

For the past 28 years, Rep. Joe Preston Jr. has defeated many opponents in elections for the 24th Legislative District seat. In the May primary he will take on William Anderson and Todd Elliot Koger, who also opposed him in the previous election.

JOSEPH PRESTON JR.

Preston represents Wil­kinsburg, East Liberty, Aspinwall, Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar, Point Breeze, Larimer, Homewood, Highland Park and East Hills. Looking back on what he’s done in recent terms, he sees the revitalization of East Liberty as a symbol of what’s to come for other areas of his district.

“Seeing East Liberty, its going and we’re getting close to looking at other things. Wilkinsburg is turning around,” Preston said. “We set the tone, the turn around.”

Of more than 30,000 people who converged in Pittsburgh on Sunday, about 3,000 were breast cancer survivors. Everyone participated with a mission of eradicating breast cancer through education, screening, research and treatment.

The Pittsburgh event—one of the biggest Komen races in the country—raises millions to save lives. The Mother’s Day event, a 5K (3.1 miles) run/walk and a 1-mile fast walk, has raised millions of dollars to date in the Pittsburgh market to support national breast cancer research.

TEAM TRACEY—From all over the city Team “Tracey” walked for Tracey Feagins, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Tracey, in pink, is in the middle of the group.